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Last weekend we were feeling the weight of winter.
The -20C degree temps (paired with un-ending lockdowns and a stair-fall bum injury from two weeks ago that's taking it's sweet time to heal) were making everything feel hard.
The momentum required to get off the couch was growing and growing and, eventually, it was just easier to not even try sitting up. So we didn't. We stayed put: Watching TV. Napping. Eating. Activities that can be comfortably completed while nestling under a blanket.
We do try to love on these gorgeous, cold months. We all feel best when we get some fresh air - so, we did a bit of skating and walking, and one particularly adventurous outing for take-out - hahahaha
but, if I'm honest, the majority of the weekend was spent on the couch.
Re: food
I needed everything to be quick, simple, and comforting.
Tomato soup with cheese and noodles,
nachos,
pizzas with greek salad and a side of brownies.
Basically, just carbs and cheese followed by dessert dairy.
It felt gooood.
Our bodies are meant to cycle.
To be active and energetic and outgoing... and also to rest, restore, and rejuvenate.
I now recognize that when I sink into the tired moments, allowing myself to just be when life's a bit too heavy and hard, I emerge faster and stronger - ready for the next part of the cycle.
Old me, though. She just didn't get it.
A type-A tornado, afraid of sleep and terrified of cheese, she would have resisted every moment of this part of the cycle. She'd have pushed and pressured and forced herself to "stay on track" and be productive, NO MATTER WHAT.
If the natural cycles of life could be pictured as an ever-turning wheel (a bicycle wheel, maybe?!) then I want you to picture "old me" (as opposed to the new me, who's older. lol) taking a big ole stick and throwing it into the spokes of the bicycle wheel of my life every time I panicked about a part of the cycle.
Can you picture it? Can you see how I'd turn my resistance to rest and carbs into a 100% FOR SURE crash.
The crash might look like exhaustion, or overeating, or irritability, or needing to pull out of all my obligations...
When it comes to how your feed yourself, move your body, and care for your well-being - the most powerful thing you can learn to do is to WORK WITH the cycles in your life. Whether they're seasonal, monthly, daily, etc - these cycles will guide you and teach you. Ignore them and ...crash.
Or at the very least, ignore them and struggle.
It's winter (unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere - in which case, don't forget the SPF today!) - a time when plants and many animals are dormant: resting, rebuilding, gathering strength and energy for the business of spring. They won't be there forever... and neither will you.
TRUST that you'll move through whatever is happening and on to the next part of the revolution in good time. And be verrrry wary of thoughts and ideas that make you judge and second-guess one part of the cycle while idealizing another (ie Summer is great because appetite reduces and you want to eat more fresh fruit and veg. Winter is bad because appetite increases and you look for comfort foods).
Each part of the cycle begets the next.
Interrupt a phase and you "stick-a-spoke" in the whole thing.
Annoying segue alert:
The Juicy Body Blueprint is allllll about getting to know your body, it's cycles, what you need, when and why. I designed it to honour all phases your cycle and, until the end of the day Friday, the bonus is a super special Masterclass on Hormones and Your Body.
Whether you join us in JBB or not - I'd love to offer up this challenge: tune in to how you're feeling this weekend. Check-in with what your body is needing and asking for and then do your darned tootenist to listen.
ALSO - I challenge you to start Wordle. I avoided it at first, because resisting popular things is part of my delightfully defiant personality - but now I'm in and I'm LOVING IT!!!!!
Bonus points for being an activity you can do under a blanket.
XO
Jill
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